TW-P-61F “Flying Doom” Black Widow Heavy Fighter:

The P-61 is one of the lesser know yet interesting fighters of World
War Two. The P-61 was the first United States aircraft to be designed as
a night fighter. The fighter initially had problems with radar system but
the P-61 proved to be a very dangerous opponent and was very versatile.
The fighter has twin booms and twin engines and was similar in design to
the better known P-38 Lightning although the Black Widow was far more massive.
It was extremely well armed with four twenty-millimeter M-2 Hispano cannons
in the nose and four Browning .50 caliber machine-guns in a top mounted
turret. For its size, the later models of the fighter were also very fast
and extremely long ranged.

Techno-Wizards have built a variety of aircraft based on Pre-Rifts aircraft
and have also rebuilt many aircraft that survived the coming of the Rifts.
Several techno-wizards wanted to design a techno-wizard variation on the
Black Widow but they wanted it different from previous Techno-Wizard designs.
It is believed that the builders had no actually P-61 to use as a basis
for design but instead use some detailed that they managed to recover from
the remains of an old museum. The designs have attempted to duplicate the
plane as faithfully as possible while still adding in the special features
that makes the aircraft far more dangerous than one might expect from a
propellor driven aircraft. Each aircraft is hand built by Techno-Wizards.
The favorite exterior scheme of the aircraft is flat or gloss back with
a red hourglass on the bottom of the fuselage. Some also have the United
States markings from World War Two.

The design is one of the least common of the propellor driven Techno-Wizard
aircrafts but the numbers of the aircraft have slowly been increasing in
number. It is still unlikely that it will ever be as popular as the Mustang,
Lightning, or Spitfire.

Like most other techno-wizard propeller driven aircraft, the Black Widow
has a dual flight system. One is a telekinetic flight system for flight
over ley lines. While it is only useful on the magical lines, it is incredibly
quiet and great when the pilot is attempting to make a surprise attack.
The other engines are converted from power armor fusion reactors and they
deliver far more power to the propellers than the Pratt & Whitney R-2800
Double Wasp engines. The speed of the Techno-Wizard Black Widow is about
10% greater than the World War Two Black Widow. The Black Widow is not
quite as fast as the Mustang or Spitfire but is faster than the Lightning.

One major change is in the materials that the plane is constructed from.
The Techno-Wizard Black Widow is constructed from high strength alloys
and composites that would have been considered impossible during the Second
World War and the P-61F Black Widow can take incredible damage. The body
has no special immunities but the Black Widow is fitted with a magical
force field for additional protection. The electronics in the Black Widow
are modern including a much better radar system than is carried in most
of the other techno-wizard aircraft designs and the fighter carries a powerful
jamming system. Otherwise, the systems are the equivalent of those carried
in most robot vehicles. The three position cockpit is sealed and has an
internal life support system. The crew compartment is considered fairly
comfortable by most pilots and their crews. Like other techno-wizard aircraft
designs, the displays are designed to look like the original displays of
the original P-61. The displays, like in the other designs, are in reality
multi configuration holographic plasma displays which can be changed instantly
when the crew needs to change them.

The magical features are very different from those carried on the other
techno-wizard designs. The Black Widow is enchanted so an aura of doom
surrounds the aircraft whenever it is flying. While the cockpits of most
fighters protect the pilots from the aura, most sky cycles are not protected
and pilots of the small craft have been know to fly away in fear or miss
when they have a solid lock on target. The other magical feature is a projector
cannon in the nose that allows the projection of the spell “Havoc” at extremely
long ranges compared to a Wizard casting the spell. This weapon will affect
the crew of fighters as well as robots and power armors. The fighter has
several other techno-wizard additions including shadow meld, invisibility,
and impervious to energy.

All weapon systems are techno-wizard but are still relatively conventional.
The fighter carries four heavy lightning blasters in the nose surrounding
the “Havoc” cannon. The lightning blasters replace the four twenty-millimeter
cannons. The fighter also has a turret in top which carried four .50 caliber
machine-guns. The machine-guns are replaced by light telekinetic cannons.
These weapons are extremely useful against targets which are impervious
to energy. The turret is normally manually controlled but also can be set
to be controlled by an automated fire control computer. The aircraft also
has four hard points on each wing which can carry one long range missile
each or a variety of smaller ammunition. High capacity mini-missile pods
are quite popular.

Notes:[1] Destroying a wing will cause the plane to crash.
[2] Destruction of rudders will still allow the fighter to be controlled
by the varying of power levels of the engines but the fighter has a penalty
of -10 to dodge, and a -30% penalty to all piloting rolls. Destruction
of the elevator will leave the plane uncontrollable and pilot must eject
to survive.
[3] The destruction of one engine or propeller will reduce the fighter’s
top speed by half and give the pilot a -2 penalty to dodge as well as giving
a 10% penalty to piloting. Destruction of both engines or propellers will
cause the aircraft to crash. Pilot may attempt an emergency landing or
pilot can choose to eject. If on a Ley Line, the aircraft can continue
flying even if both engines or propellers are destroyed.
[4] All Three sections are considered part of the Main Body. Depleting
the M.D.C. of either of the boom sections or the cockpit section will put
the fighter out of commission and causing it to crash if in flight.

Speed:Driving on Ground (Taxiing): Only possible for take offs and
landings as well as for parking and storage. Speed is 40 mph (64 kph) when
traveling and not on take off or landing
Flying: 485 mph (780.5 kph) with an altitude of 45,500 feet
(13868.4 meters) using conventional propeller driven flight. 200 mph (320
kph) on Telekinetic flight system but aircraft must remain on a ley line
for flight system to operate.
Maximum Effective Range: The Black Widow will overheat after twelve hours of operation
at above 300 mph (482.8 kph) on propeller driven flight. Effectively unlimited
on Telekinetic flight system.

Four (4) Heavy Lightning Blasters: Mounted in the fighter’s
nose and replace the four 20 mm Hispano cannons mounted on the original
Black Widow. All of the lightning blasters can be fired together and inflict
incredible damage when all four are fired together. No matter how many
cannons are fired together, it counts as one attack. The lightning blasters
have a slightly better range and have an unlimited payload compared to
hand held lightning blasters. The weapon pulls its energy from a tiny rift
from the elemental plane of air and does not need to be recharged.
Maximum Effective Range: 4,000 feet (1,220 meters).
Mega Damage: 1D4x10+10 per electrical blaster and 4D4x10+40
for all four blasters firing simultaneously (Counts as one attack)
Rate of Fire: Equal to the combined hand to hand attacks of
the pilot (usually 4 or 5).
Payload: Effectively Unlimited.

Telekinetic Machine-Guns (4): Fairly lightweight and replace the four
Browning .50 machine-guns mounted in the dorsal turret of the Black Widow.
All four cannons can fire together and are normally controlled from within
the cockpit. It is enchanted by a series of spells so the cannon acts as
a more powerful version of the TK Machine-gun. This increases the weapon's
damage and instead of being reloaded, the cannon must be recharged by the
spell Telekinesis and 50 P.P.E. each once per month. The cannon does full
damage to targets that are impervious to energy. The turret can rotate
360 degrees and has a 90 degree arc of fire. Turret can be set up to operate
on automatic and when on automatic has +2 to strike and six attacks per
melee.
Maximum Effective Range: 4,000 feet (1,220 meters).
Mega Damage: 6D6 each and 2D6x10+12 for all four.
Rate of Fire: Equal to the combined hand to hand attacks of
the pilot (usually 4 or 5) or six (6) attacks on automatic (+2 to strike)
Payload: Unlimited, although the spells must be renewed every
month whether the cannon have been used or not.

Havoc Cannon (1): Mounted in the nose of the heavy fighter
between the Lightning Blasters. And fires directly forward. While the weapon
does not inflict huge amounts of damage, it goes direct to hit points and
power armor and robots give the crew no protection. Havoc effects a 20 foot (9.1 meter) diameter area. The effects also last
several melees and effect all targets with the area of effect.
Maximum Effective Range: 1,000 feet (304.8 meters)
Mega-Damage: None to normal opponents but inflicts 1D6 Direct
to Hit Points per melee (Inflicts double M.D.C. to Supernatural Creatures)
and the target also needs to save vs magic or are -3 to initiative, strike,
parry, and dodge. (has no sense of direction or time.) Weapon goes direct
through power armor and vehicles. Duration is ten melees.
Rate of Fire: Maximum of twice per melee
Payload: Effectively Unlimited.

Wing Hard Points (8): The “Flying Doom” Black Widow can carry
a variety of ordnance on its hard points. The fighter has four hard points
on each wing for a total of eight hard points. With the addition of modern
sensor systems, the fighter can control missiles instead of just bombs
and unguided rockets. Mini-Missile pods are very popular. There is no provision
for jamming pods or towed decoys.

Bombs and Missiles: The only restriction is that a hard point
must carry all the same type of missiles or bombs. Both unguided and guided
bombs can be carried.
Maximum Effective Range: Varies by missile type for missile
and varies by altitude that bombs are dropped at (See revised bomb and missile tables for details.)
Mega Damage: Varies by missile or bomb type (See revised
bomb and missile tables for details.)
Rate of Fire: Missiles can be fired and bombs can be dropped
one at a time per hard point. Multiple hard points can be linked as one
attack but must be the same size (light, medium, or heavy) and style of
ordnance (all missiles or bombs in a volley.)
Payload: 4 short range missile or light bombs, 2 medium range
missiles or medium bombs, or 1 long range missile or heavy bomb (all ordnance
on a hard point must be the same size and type of ordnance)

Mini-Missile Pod: Large capacity mini-missile pod. The aircraft
normally carries missile pods for ground strafing, anti-troop, and anti-emplacement
attacks. Normal missile used are armor piercing, plasma, or fragmentation
mini-missiles.
Maximum Effective Range: Varies with missile types, mini-missiles
only (See revised
bomb and missile tables for details.)
Mega Damage: Varies with mini missile types (See revised
bomb and missile tables for details.)
Rate of Fire: Each pod can fire missiles one at a time or in volleys
of two (2), four (4), eight (8), or sixteen (16) mini-missiles and can be linked with other mini-missile pods for greater
number of missiles (Counts as one attack no matter how many missiles in
volley.)
Payload: Each pod carries sixteen (16) mini-missiles.

Magical “Aura of Doom” Field: The heavy fighter can surround itself
with a field of flickering blackness. This is an aura of doom which causes
others within the aura to feel as if death is about to get them and that
they will fail at whatever they try. The field can be raised and dropped
at the crews desire and does not affect the crew of the heavy fighter.
The effect will not go through power armors, robot vehicles, and other
large vehicles (including other fighters) as well as most supernatural
creatures and high-level spell casters. The spell does affect through body
armors and is very effective against the pilots in the open cockpits of
sky cycles.
Maximum Effective Range: 500 feet (152.4 meter) globe around
fighter.
Mega-Damage: None but aura cause anyone within the area of effect
(does not affect the crew) who fails their saving throw to lose half their
attacks per melee, their skill performances will be half, initiative will
be half, and will be at -4 to strike, parry, and dodge.
Rate of Fire: Can be activated at will
Payload: Effectively unlimited

Magical “Fireworks” Anti-Missile Chaff/Flare Dispenser (1): In many ways
this system is similar to technological versions of the Chaff/Flare system.
The anti-missile system works by combining three spells. The three spells
are Fire Bolt, Apparition, and Telekinesis. The physical effects of the
system are identical to the Triax Anti-Missile chaff but instead of being
reloaded, it is recharged by spells.
Effect:

Also note that the chaff cloud will also blind flying monsters that
fly through cloud. They will suffer the following penalties: reduce melee
attacks/actions, combat bonuses, and speed by half.
Duration: 1D4 melee rounds.
Payload: 10 Uses before being recharged. The dispenser is recharged
by the spells Apparition (20 P.P.E.), Fire Bolt (7 P.P.E.), and Telekinesis
(8 P.P.E.).

Techno-Wizard Modifications: The Black Widow has the following
techno-wizard modifications built into the aircraft. These require P.P.E.
or I.S.P. from the pilot.
Special Features:

The fighter has all the standard features of a standard fighter (same
as standard robot minus loudspeaker and microphone) plus these special
features listed. The special equipment is a combination of both magic and
technology

Radar: Range 500 miles (805 km), can identify and track up to 96
targets simultaneously, It is also capable of Terrain Following for low
altitude flight. With Combat & Targeting Computer, the Merlin can fire
missiles at up to twenty four targets at the same time. The weapons officer
frees the pilot from controlling the missiles so he can retain his full
attacks.

Magical “See the Invisible” Optics: Same as spell and used at will. 2,000 feet (610
meters) range. Can see forces, objects, and creatures which can turn invisible,
or are invisible. Can also see vaporous beings and astral bodies.